Re weighing-machine



G. W. GWINN. REWEIGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. I919 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET I.

G. W. GWINN.

REWEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICAHON FILED MAR. 14, I919 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. W. GWINN.

REWEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4. 1919.

1 ,3 1 5, 720 Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. W. GWINN,

REWEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATJON FILED MAR. 14, 1919.

1,3 1 5,7 20. .lutented Sept. 9, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

5 y 6 I r G. W. GWINN,

REWEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. 1919 fizz/6762 07 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILBUR GWINN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC PACKING & LABELING COMPANY, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF NORTH CAROLINA.

'REWEIGHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed March 14, 1919. Serial No. 282,543

My present invention pertains to an improved machine for separating or segregating packages or articles according to t eir weight, and is particularly adapted for use in connection with packaged material, such as tobacco.

It is, of course, desirable that all packages of any commodity placed upon the market shall be uniform in weight and this is particularly desirable with tobacco, ,on account of the necessity of placing an internal revenue stamp upon each of such packages. To this end I have devised a machine which will automatically separate the packages into three grades, namely, those of proper or correct weight, light weight, and overweight. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, the parts being slightly enlarged;

Fig. 5 a similar view on the line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 a like view on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 a perspective view of portions of the scale mechanism; and

Fig. 8 a horizontal sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 1, illustrating the hunter which stacks the correct-weight packages, and the driving mechanism of the machine.

The mechanism is mounted upon and supported by a fixed, vertically-disposed shaft or standard 1, secured at its lower end in a base 2, see Fig. 2. Fixedly secured to the upper end of the shaft is a castingS, pro vided with radiating horizontally-disposed arms 4 and 5, Figs. 2 and 3, each arm at its outer end carrying a split sleeve or bearing.

6. A post 7 is mounted in sleeve 6 of arm 4 and secured to said post, and extending outwardly therefrom is a combined gage and scraper plate 8, adapted to contact with the l ght-we1 ht packages on the scales and to remove t e same therefrom.

A similar gage and scraper plate 9, adapted to remove the correct-weight packages from the scales is carried by the arm 5. A third gage or arm 10 extends outwardly from arm 5, see Fig. 3, and is adapted to remove the heavy or overweight packages from thescales.

All of these parts remain fixed while the mechanism is in operation, the scales passmg successivel beneath the same. The gage and scraper p ates are, however, adjustable as to height in order that they may be set to function with packages of varying dimensions and weights.

The scales, of which there are four in the present instance, are alike in form and construction and are mounted upon and carried by a rotatable table or platform 11, formed with a sleeve 12 in which is mounted a bushing 13 which finds its bearing on shaft 1. A worm gear 14, carrying upon its lower face a bevel-gear 15, imparts motion to sleeve 12, said worm gear being driven through a worm 16, Fig. 8, mounted upon a power shaft 17 Said shaft finds its support in suitable bearings formed in brackets 18 and 19,extending from a casting 20 se' cured to the shaft 1. An antifriction hearing, as 20, will be interposed between said casting and the hub of the drivin gear 14.

Inasmuch as the scales are ali e, a description of one will suffice for all. Secured which are bifurcated and adapted to emv brace bearing sleeves 26, in which are seated, upon knife-edges pins 27 secured in lugs 28 extending downwardly from the scale platform or table 29. A bar 30 extends in wardly from the yoke-shaped member and forms therewith the main scale beam, said bar having adjustably mounted thereon a weight 31. A roller 32, the purpose of which will presently appear, is mounted on the bar adjacent its connection with the yoke.

Extending downwardly from the under side of the scale table or platform is a rod 33, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a bar 34, the inner end of which is likewise connected to a stud 35 secured to sleeve 12. See Fig. 2.

Secured to and extending downwardly from the table 11 beneath'the bracket 21 are two arms 36 and 37, Figs. 1 and 5, which carry a bearing for the knife-edge of crosspin 38 mounted in the auxiliary scale-beam 39, the inner end of which beam is threaded and carries a weight 40. The beam is prevented from dropping by a stop disk or head 41. The forward end of the auxiliary beam 39 is bifurcated, rod 33 passin therethrough, and a block 42, having a knifZ-edge upon its lower face, is secured to the rod, said knifeedge contacting with the upper face of the bifurcated end of the beam when the scale platform is depressed by a full-weight or an overweight package. By the use of the auxiliary scales, the platforms or tables are prevented, to a greater or less extent, from tilting, and said auxiliary scales also assist in weighing such packages as are of correct and of overweight, said auxiliary scales coming into active operation after the mechanism has passed the light weight removing point or station of the apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Extending downwardly and outwardly from the rear edge of each platform or table 29 are arms 43, said arms serving to guide the packages onto a table 44, Figs. 1 and 3, upon which the proper weight packages are deposited, or onto a table or platform 45 in case the packages be overweight.

Table 44 is supported by a suitable bracket 46 and is provided with a downwardly-inclined end 47, said end terminating in line with the upper end of bunter 48. The hunter, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 8, is carried by an arm 49, fulcrumed upon a stub-axle 50, oscillating movement being imparted to the hunter through a pitman 51 and crank-arm 52, mounted upon shaft or axle 53, said shaft carrying a bevel pinion 54, which meshes with gear 15. The bunter, as will hereinafter appear, serves to traverse the packages as they pass down the incline 47 onto a runway or table 55, Figs.

1 and 3.

Secured to the bed or table 11, is a series of vertically-disposed posts 56, four in number, said posts being evenly spaced and each carrying an outwardly-projecting rod or arm 57, sa1d arms being of such length as to extend over the table 44 as they are moved around with the table or platform 11. These arms 57 serve to remove from the table 44 those packages of correct weight which are deposited on the table through the action of the gage plate 9.

The scales are designed to be loaded one at a time and at a point at the right-hand side of the machine, Fig. 3, or as indicated by the word Loading. At such time the scale which occupies this position is held elevated and this is effected by having the inner end of the bar 30 pass between two fixed cams 58 and 59, secured to the upright or standard 1, the bar 30 being shown as broken away and locked in :Fig. 2; see also Fig. 4, wherein the parts are shown in full lines. A fixed cam 60 (Fig. 1) is secured to the under face of the arm 5 and extends around toward the loading position in the path of movement of the rollers 32, carried by the scale-beams, said cam, as will be seen upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2, being downwardly inclined so that the rear or inner ends of the scale-beams, or more specifically the bar or rod 30, will be moved downwardly so that it may readily pass into position between the cams 58 and 59, which is the position of the parts when the scale is loaded.

Inasmuch as the scale beams are liable to vibrate more orless after the package has been placed on the platform it is found desirable to provide means to arrest such vibration as otherwise packages which are only slightly overweight, under weight and of correct weight will be removed at the Wrong point or station due to the package coming into contact with the wrong combined scraper and gage plate.

To this end I provide stabilizing means for the scales one form of which is shown herein.

Secured to each of the brackets 18 and 46 is an arm 61, said arms extending outwardly and upwardly therefrom and terminating in line with the outer end of the main scale beams, said arms being preferably connected by a semi-circular tie bar 62 which extends from one arm to the other.

Said bar forms the support for brackets 63 in each of which is mounted a brush 64 the brush bein flat with the flat faces standing vertica Secured to the outer end of each of'the main scale beams is a flat thin plate 65, the plate being segmental in outline and projecting outwardly to such an extent that its outer edge passes into the outer free ends of the brush bristles and moves therethrough as the table or platform 11 is rotated. This arrangement is found to be particularly eflicient in stabilizing the scale and prevents teetering of the scale so that the packages will not be carried up into-contact with the wrong scraper plate, or be carried below the correct plate. It moreover in no wise effects the proper functioning of the scales.

Where packages have to be closely separated according to weight this stabilizing mechanism becomes of importance.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

The packages to be reweighed and separated according to their variations in weight are placed or fed one at a time onto to the scale platforms as they reach the station or point marked A, Fig. 3, at which time the scale is locked by the cams 58 and 59, Fig. 4. As the table 11 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the scale will be unlocked and will find its balance. If the package be light, as is the package marked B, it will come into contact with the combined scraper and gage-plate 8, and as the table continues to rotate, carrying the scale with it, and said light-weight package is held against further movement by the plate, the scale will move from beneath the package allowing it to drop into a suitable receptac e, upon a conveyer, or the like.

Should the package which is placed on the platform be heavy or of the correct weight, the parts will assume the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when the table has been given a quarter turn, from the loading position, the end of the bar 30 will pass out of locked relation between the cams 58 and 59 and abut against the face 58 of cam 58. The scale and the package thereon will be thus held until they have passed gage-plate 8, the package, be it correct or overweight, passing below said plate. After it passes such point, rod 30 rides off of cam face 58* and up the upwardly-inclined cam face 58", thus allowing the auxiliary scale to come into action. If the package be of correct weight, the auxiliary scale will support the platform, holding it in the position shown at the left in Fig. 2, and as the table continues to rotate, such package will pass to position D and be scraped off by plate 9.

Should the package, however, be overweight, as at C, Fig. '3, it will pass beneath plates 8 and 9 (depressing the auxiliary scale, see left of Fig. 1) and finally come into contact with the fixed arm 10, the package being thereby held while the scale advances beneath the same, the package ultimately sliding down the arms 43 onto the table 45.

Should the package be of correct weight, as at D it will pass beneath the plate 8 and into contact with arm or plate 9,.being arrested thereby while the scale continues to advance. As the scale platform 29 moves away, the correct'weight package will slide down the arms 43 onto the table 44, from which it is removed by the arm 57 immediately following, the package passing down the inclined section 47 into line with the hunter 48, which carries it to the table 55. Thus it will be seen that the packages will be finally weighed and the various pack' ages graded according to their exact weight.

By the employment of the auxiliary scale, the packages may be closely separated, a variation as close as one thirty-second of an ounce being found perfectly feasible with the machine operating at a relatively rapid speed.

While I have shown and described a plurality of scales carried by the rotating table 11, which, of course, is the preferred construction in that it increases, the capacity of the machine, it is conceivable that but a single scale might be employed in connection with the various gage-plates for re moving the packages according to their weight. The use of a single scale, as will be obvious, would of necessity slow down the operation of the machine.

It will be understood that the stabilizing brush might be connected to and carried by the scale and the plate supported by the brackets; as this is a mere reversal it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine for asserting packages according to their weight, the combination of a table or supporting member; a main scale adapted to receive the package to be weighed; an auxiliary scale coacting therewith to cause said main scale to hold a correct-weight package in a position intermediate that assumed by a light and a heavy-weight package; means for removing the packages from the scale according totheir weight, and means for preventing teetering of the scales.

2. In a machine for asserting packages according to their weight, the combination of a table or supporting member; a scale carried thereby and having a set weight, said scale being adapted to receive the packages to be assorted; means for increasing the counterbalancing weight of the scale as the same descends under the weight of the package; means for preventing teetering of the scale; and means for removing the packages from the scale according to the weight thereof.

3. In a machine for asserting packages according to their weight, the combination of a table or supporting member; a scale carried thereby and adapted to receive the packages to be assorted; an auxiliary scale beam adapted to coact with the receiving scale when a package placed upon said scale is of the correct or of over-weight; means for preventing teetering of the scale; and means for removing the packages from the scale at different points according to the weight of the packages.

4. In a machine for asserting packages according to their weight, the combination of a table or supporting member; a scale carried thereby; means for temporarily looking the scale against movement while a package is being placed thereon; an auxiliary scale beam adapted to coact with the re ceiving scale when. a package upon said scale is of correct or over-weight; means for preventing teetering of the scale; and means for removing the packages from the scale at difierent points according to the weight of the packages.

In combination with a rotatable snpport; a scale carried thereby and movable therewith; means serving to remove the article being weighed as the scale passes beneath the same; and yielding means acting to stabilize the scale.

6. In combination with a rotatable support; a scale carried thereby and movable therewith; a device overlying the path of movement of the scale and acting to remove a package of predetermined weight from the scale as it moves beneath the same; and yielding means coacting with the scale and serving to stabilize the same prior to its pas sage into juxtaposition with said package removing device.

7. In combination with a rotatable support; a scale carried thereby and movable therewith; a device overlying the path of movement of the scale and acting to remove a package of predetermined weight from the scale as it moves beneath the same, a segmental shaped plate extending outwardly from the scale; and a brush into and through which said plate passes.

8. In combinatlon with a scale beam; at

plate rigidly connected thereto and extend ing outwardly therefrom; and means cooperating with the plate to stabilize the same when the beam has descended to its proper position under the weight imposed upon the scale.

9. In combination with a scale of the beam type; means for moving the same laterally to discharge the article to be weighed imposed thereon; a yielding member arranged adjacent the path of movement of the scale; and means carried by the scale cooperating with said member and serving to prevent teetering of the scale.

10. In combination with a scale of the beam type; means for moving the same laterally to discharge the article to be weighed imposed thereon; a yielding member arranged adjacent the path of movement of the scale; and means carried by the scale cooperating with said member and serving to prevent teetering of the scale while package is being removed.

ll. In combination with a rotatable support; a scale carried thereby and movable therewith; means serving to remove the article being weighed as the scale passes beneath the same; and yielding means acting to stabilize the scale while package is being removed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE WILBUR .GWINN. 

